Wednesday, July 18, 2007

A quick aesthetic journey

To relieve the boredom of this nasty, hot weather, let’s take an imaginary trip to a few art exhibits:

On the rooftop garden at the NY Met, we can wander amid the sculptures of Frank Stella. Along with taking in the art, you can also see spectacular views of the city. Of course, there are many more exhibits inside…

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we can see Japanese brushstroke and calligraphy works by Ike Taiga and his wife Tokuyama Gyokuran, famed artists who lived during the 1700s. Here is a poem that accompanies one of the painted scrolls:

A Friend Visits at Night

Beneath the eaves,

on mat in pure breeze;

Below the pines,

a cup in moonlight:

The joys of seclusion are just this way,

And even better now a friend's in sight!--Bo Juyi

Back in NY, the Modern Museum of Art is featuring many exhibitions including a celebration of Picasso’s "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" which he created 100 years ago; "50 Years of Helvetica", the sans-serif typeface we all know and love; a retrospective of Richard Serra’s work, and more.

In Kansas City, the Nelson-Atkins is celebrating their new amazing addition to the museum, which glows like giant lanterns across the landscape at night. Featured exhibits are the beginnings of American photography and the Bloch collection of Impressionistic art.

For those who are soon going to Paris, the Louvre is featuring prints and drawings of Camille Corot, and work from Spanish artists during the Age of Enlightenment. And there are exhibits, films, concerts and more at the Centre Pompidou. One is "Airs de Paris," an exhibit of design and architecture that explores how life in today’s cities, particularly Paris, is evolving.

Ah, but now it’s getting late; I must return to the City of Trees… au revoir...